spijker
20 ( +1 | -1 )1. e4,e6 2. d3, followed by Nd2 and N1f3 becomes a Kings's Indian attack. This opening can be used against various black systems. I think it's a very solid system, and it can be very dangerous for black.

spijker
39 ( +1 | -1 )Of course there are many other alternatives, but imo not so good as the KIA. 1. e4,e6 2. Nf3, d5 3. e5, c5 and now 4. b4 leads to a kind of wing gambit from the sicilian defence. After cxb4 you play a3 and white has a nice game. Problem for black (as usual in the french defence) is that the bishop from c8 cannot come in play very soon, so maybe this is better than the gambit against the sicilian?

ccmcacollister
19 ( +1 | -1 )Loreta ....I've heard your 3.Be3 line called the Esh or Esch (spelling? First name Steve I think?) Gambit ...by Esh of course, who was playing it in APCT over a decade ago. What became of it, I know not.

loreta
18 ( +1 | -1 )To _nw_Why?! Just to go for victory! Much of victory consists of psychology. If you've a position in which your opponent feels uncertain, you already have an edge. --- What about 2. f4 (following d3)?

ionadowman
7 ( +1 | -1 )Didn't Tigran Petrosian ...... used to play now and then 1.e4 e3 2.d3, leading to a King's Indian Attack?

ccmcacollister
118 ( +1 | -1 )Fischer and Tal ...Fischer played the KI Attack early in his career. So if he played it vs a Sicilian, I'm sure he must have played it vs the French as well. [Since it is supposed to be a bit more advantageous vs a French start ... and that Opening was something of a sore spot for him anyway ... the French I mean]. I believe Tal also played 2.d3 and has a game with it in GM Larry Evan's fantastic book, Modern Chess Brilliancies [which had games from it online a couple years ago, but cannot recall the site:( ...] That is perhaps my favorite Chess book. Certainly one of the top 3 anyway. ***** loreta ... I had a game with xerox vs 2.Qe2, which I beleive is called and attributed to Tchigorin. It was something of a debacle for me, choosing a completely wrong plan in what should have been a more or less closed Sicilian type position. Fortunately, I found a plan more suited to the postion before the end, which i call "losing my lost-game". Since you want WT, with an goal of Victory, my plan for BL would seem to fit in nicely with your own intentions ... }8-))

schnarre
9 ( +1 | -1 )2. f4 is a perfectly good line, though it seems to have gone out of view lately.

loreta
13 ( +1 | -1 )Not so many alternatives... only few possibilities? 2. e3; 2. Qe2 and maybe 2 f4 - but where are some words about it? And one more - what about 2. Nc3 (1. e4 e6)?... --- Question: Why to play 2. Qe2 and not just 2. g3?

ccmcacollister
22 ( +1 | -1 )Why 2.Qe2 ...?How about this: If a player with a 2450 lifetime postal performance rating in the French can misplay the plan and lose in an ugly way ... there ought to be a Few players that have a little trouble handling it ?! :))

ganstaman
55 ( +1 | -1 )1. e4 e6 2. Qe2 and now white has temporarily made 2...d5 less attractive, as in 2...d5 3. exd5 and black must gambit the pawn or play 3...Qxd5, with an exposed queen ready to be attacked for tempo gains.

I don't know if it's been mentioned yet, but you have to notice how awkward the queen looks on e2 at first. And so black can try to keep it awkward by playing an early ...e5. Black loses a tempo with the pawn, but surely the queen's placement isn't optimal and almost forces a kingside fianchetto (not a bad thing, but takes time). Or black can go for a more French-feel and keep the pawn on e6.

loreta
30 ( +1 | -1 )It seems, you're right,ccmcacollister . But Qe2 does not look oddly, - there're many variations where Qe2 is very strog (including some Ruys). - My position is - Black is better always. So if you get a solid even position with WT - it's ok, as you'd try to win with Black. :-))

loreta
19 ( +1 | -1 )2. d3After all - it seems, I'll give up 2. b3 and I'm going to 2. d3 What would be expected from Black side as response to it? Massive pawn attack at queenside or castling to queenside? Something else?

jstack
18 ( +1 | -1 )ChigorinI have not actually played Qe2 in any serious games, but a little while back I studied quite a few games by Chigorin and he had some pretty convincing wins against the french.

raskerino
23 ( +1 | -1 )I'm a fan of the advance (gambiting the d pawn whenever possible) but if that's not your cup of tea I do like the KIA. It's simple to learn and white will usually prefer for an eventual e5 push with a space advantage on the kingside. I think it's good stuff.

dropcut
67 ( +1 | -1 ).I understand what you mean with bringing your opponent away from a comfortable game so that you're able to have the advantage by knowing more than him, but surely there are lines in the french that are sharp and not as explored as main respones? The Alekhine-Chatard attack for example.

Personally I have problems with the Ruy Lopez, but that doesn't mean I plan to abandon 1... e5 because of it. I'd rather try out stuff like the Cordel Gambit or something similar to throw my opponent of. There are lines out there, but maybe you need to put some more theory behind you? Aren't there any lines where you feel comfortable?

How about 3.Nd2?

schnarre
35 ( +1 | -1 )2. c4 This can transpose to an exchange version (after a later d4), but is remeniscent of the similar lime vs the Caro-Kann (after 2...d5, 3. exd5 exd5, 4. cxd5 Black's reassuring pawn at d5 isn't there anymore & if 4...Qcd5 then 5. Nc3 with temp gain. 2. c4 isn't a very common line, but it's worth checking into (at least from my own experiences anyway)!

sf115
7 ( +1 | -1 )if you play 2. c4 then you get an issolated d-pawn.

e.g. 1. e4 e6 2. c4 d5 3. cxd5 exd5 4. exd5.

jstack
59 ( +1 | -1 )isolated pawnThe question here is...is the resulting isolated pawn weak? Or is it a strength for white(such as in the panov attack of the caro-kann). It looks like a strength to me. After 4...Nf6 5. d4 Nxd5. black has the pawn blockaded but it is with the wrong knight. From the games I have studied of isolated pawn positions I have noticed that the kingside knight is better suited for the defence of the kingside on f6. It is better to post the queenside knight there if possible. Anyway I have not studied any games with this particular move order....it would be interesting to investigate it further.